Summertiiiime and the livin’s easy… it’s time to let your hair down, enjoy having a social life again and dream of how you’re going to spend those vacay days you’ve been saving up. Summer is all about unwinding and not feeling guilty about it. Just make sure your laissez faire attitude doesn’t end up unwinding your career path the process. Here are a few ways to make sure you stay committed to your long-term career goals.
Keep looking forward
Don’t. Stop. Thinking about tomorrow! You might not be exactly where you want to be right now, but you will be if you stay focused. Planting seeds of quality work now will ensure you’re able to sow a juicy crop of opportunities in months to come”what you do now matters! To keep looking forward, don’t forget why you started. Now’s the time to clarify your long-term career goals and make sure they’re still big and exciting enough to keep you looking forward. Keep them at the forefront of your mind by making a road-map to chart your journey from here to your big goal, write a personal mission statement or make a juicy vision board.
Get an accountability buddy
An accountability buddy is a mutually beneficial relationship where two career-focused peeps help keep each other accountable, motivated and working smarter-not-harder on the career journey. Having this kind of support as you realize your goals can be a productivity game-changer that can really help you hone your focus and pick up the pace. Find a like-minded keen bean in your office to partner up with, or if you’re doing a side hustle or are interested in starting one, check out an online community like One Woman Shop.
Find inspiration
Get in touch with a few different people you really admire and interview them. The right conversation with the right person could serve up some much-needed inspiration and expand your awareness and perspective, and you never know what opportunities might come out of it. Get their book recommendations, podcast recommendations and advice”get them to give you recommended homework. Don’t be afraid to “be annoying.” Be bold and ask for advice from the smart sources you look up to. They’ve already paved the path and their knowledge could save you a lot of trial and error.
Finish what you start
Leaving tasks incomplete, whether it’s at the office, your side gig or in your personal life, can be a huge energy drain. They’ll keep pulling you back into the past and mess with your forward-momentum. Set a day or two for tying up all loose ends and signing, sealing and delivering whatever needs to be put to rest. Start by making a to-do list and readying that productivity-beats playlist. Refuse to be overwhelmed. Clearing out the clutter is all about getting that just cleaned-out-your-closet feeling of starting fresh, which is key to staying motivated.
Make a stop-doing list
Figure out what responsibilities you can let go of to make your life easier and streamline your approach to your work by getting them the heck out of your life. Really consider all the time and energy sucks in your day”taking on more than you can handle? Stop it. That person you’ve been avoiding? Stop avoiding them. That person you hate talking to but always seem to leave for lunch at the same time as? Stop leaving at that time. Take back your power and protect your time and energy.
Take a risk
Pick one area of your life that feels frustratingly stagnant (maybe it’s your job, or maybe it’s your social or love life), and choose three possibly outrageous actions you could do that would create forward momentum in it. Doing one, two, or all of them could launch the energy wave you need to can ride it out at the office and be present while you’re there. Consider asking for a raise, taking on a 7-day health challenge or stocking up on perspective-changing books. Wherever you can take a risk, you open yourself up to positive, energy-boosting changes.
